Stardate: 60312:0850
Subject: When Past and Present Collide (Part Two)
Author: Captain Khavok
Time: Just after "All She Needs…"
Scene: Unnamed bar


Alex and Abby sat pleasantly chatting in the small bar. As Alex promised the drinks were terrible and the food only less so. The place was clean and quiet and gave the two some time to think. Khavok thought the conversation was going well and that Abby was finally beginning to relax when he noticed the sudden tension in Abby's shoulders and face and the color drain from her face.

"Is everything all right," Alex asked with genuine concern.

Abby didn't speak but gestured over Alex's shoulder with her chin. Alex turned and looked and saw Godron pushing his way into the bar. Two things stood out in Alex's mind. The first was that Godron was alone with none of his ingratiating lackeys, and the second was that he was quiet. He was not trying to conceal his presence, but he was not making his ordinarily grand entrance into a place either.

Alex looked back at Abby, *stupid academy prank. Should have known better. It's too easy to stop at the pips and forget that we are people first underneath the rank*

"What did he say to you?" Alex spoke trying to keep his voice calm

"Captain…I," Abby stated, "I can take care of myself. It's only the stress of the move and getting the ship underway…"

Khavok looked at his XO and noticed the pain, and noticed how her training and dignity took over. Alex respected her the more for that but a line would have to be drawn. No one disrespected his command staff.

Alex stood fluidly, his face set in a cold mask, "Commander if you will excuse me, I shall only be a moment."

Abby at first wanted to complain, but she hadn't been with this Captain long enough to know exactly what this particular set of face and body language meant. She hoped he wasn't going to do anything to rash. 

The man watching the pair began to smile. This was going to be far more profitable than he thought. He realized if he wanted to hurt Khavok, and he did more than he wanted to breathe, then that pain should certainly include the fetching executive officer. He looked at Alex as he strode to the Ferengi, hating his lithe grace, his youth and his attractiveness.

"That slime should have died long ago, and he doesn't deserve a ship like the Relentless, he doesn't deserve anything," the watcher grumbled taking another drink.

The watcher tapped a combadge and hastily muttered some instructions into it, it was time to up the ante and start some suffering. A short time later a few men; free traders by the look of them, unkempt and smelly boisterously pushed their way into the bar and began loudly and animatedly ordering drinks. The watcher slipped out unnoticed with a smile and took up a position to observe.

Alex strode to the table where the Ferengi was seated and leaned toward him and began speaking. Abby couldn't make out what the Captain said but the Ferengi took on a decidedly pale tone and seemed to shrink in his seat. So focused on the Captain and the administrator Abby didn't see the trader until it was too late.
 
The trader bodily forced his way into the booth next to Abby forcing her uncomfortably close to the wall. He leaned closed to her and said some obscene things resting his hand on her knee. Another trader slid into the seat opposite of his mate and leered. Abby quickly regained composure and began to search the situation for any weakness she could take advantage of. Alex turned towards the table at Abby's exclamation and was intercepted by two of the traders no one was prepared for what happened next. 

Alex in a split second appraised the situation and reflexes honed by years of constant warfare took over. Khavok launched a brutal snap kick at the right man's knee, shattering it with a wet crack. He screamed and dropped. The watcher, unprepared for the sudden brutality of Alex's attack hastily called security. Over his initial shock the watcher laughed, Khavok had acted exactly as been predicted. The prone man's partner launched a round house at Relentless' captain. Khavok stepped closer to the man, checked his punch and redirected the energy forcing the man's arm cruelly behind his back dislocating the joint. 

At the first man's scream the turned towards the commotion, giving Abby the opportunity she needed. Winters jabbed the man in the thigh with her fork causing him to shift his weight away from her and giving her the opening to push him out of the booth. She scrambled out after him as his partner tried to grab her. Alex kicked him twice in the face and he lay still, collapsed across the table. 

Abby's assailant reached for a phaser as she scrambled over top of him to regain her footing. She kicked him causing him to loose control of the weapon. The weapon skidded out of sight under a table, where a patron quietly picked it up and concealed it. Alex slammed his man into a table and released him, where he slumped to the ground. He checked to see Abby's condition as the security detail swarmed the bar. 

"Stop right there!" the security officer roared, "You are all under arrest!"

Alex and Abby looked at each other a bit confused.

"You will drop your weapons and come peacefully, or I will stun you," the officer said, obviously hoping they would resist.

The Captain and XO glanced at each, shrugged helplessly and complied with the security details demands. The pair was herded to a table in the back of the bar while witness statements were taken. From what they could over hear a consistent tale of Alex initiating the conflict was told repeatedly to the security detail. The security detail seemed unconcerned that Alex was a Captain. However when a pair of security officers tried to lay hands on him to arrest him, Alex's icy dignity stopped them. Khavok turned command over to his Executive Officer and willingly went with the security detail without further protest.


====================
Captain Alexander Khavok
Commanding Officer
USS Relentless
NCC 11966
====================